Author: Kacie Cotter-Harrigan

Eighty years ago, on December 7, 1941, the Japanese forces launched a devastating surprise attack on Pearl Harbor, and a local man played a big role in defending against that attack. Furthermore, his actions have been credited with shortening  the war in the Pacific.

That Sunday morning, hundreds of Japanese fighter planes descended  on the naval base there and managed to destroy or damage nearly 20 American naval vessels, including eight battleships,  and over 300 airplanes.  More than 2,400 Americans  died in the attack, including civilians, and another 1,000 people were wounded. The day after the assault, President Franklin D. Roosevelt asked Congress to declare war on Japan and formally enter World War.

Lawrence Ruff was born on 7 July 1905 in Troy, NY and grew up on Green Street in the village of Schuylerville. His father was a merchant of seed and flour on Spring Street. Ruff had a typical childhood; he was the bugler for the local Boy Scout troop and excelled academically in high school. He entered the US Navy in 1923. His intelligence was noted, and he was sent to the U. S. Naval Academy at Annapolis, Maryland. Ruff’s early career (10+ years) in the Navy had various ship-based assignments.

On that fateful Sunday morning in December, Lieutenant Ruff was assigned as the battleship USS Nevada’s communications officer. He was planning to attend church services on the hospital ship, USS Solace. Ruff and Father Drinnan took a small launch boat on a peaceful journey across the Pearl Harbor passing by all six Pacific fleet battleships. They arrived shortly before 7 a.m. Ruff was waiting for the church service on the hospital ship, when at 7:55 a.m., they heard the first bombs.

The Japanese made a completely surprise attack on the American fleet at Pearl Harbor. Ruff witnessed the battleship USS Arizona erupt  in flames and smoke. He rushed back to the small launch boat and took a harrowing journey across the same Harbor including being strafed by a Japanese aircraft. At 8:10 a.m., the battleship USS Oklahoma rolls over, entombing 460 sailors.

When Ruff boarded the Nevada, around 8:25 a.m., he discovered  that most of the Nevada’s senior officers were absent and that those present would have to assume duties for which they had not been trained. Ruff made his way to his station in the Nevada’s conning. Lt. Commander Thomas was the most senior officer  present. However, Thomas was several decks below at his duty station.

As soon as they were able to communicate, they quickly agreed that Thomas should remain in charge of the ship below decks while  Ruff took care of topside duties  as Officer of the Deck. Ruff was ordered to “do his best to get them out of the harbor as quickly as possible, dispensing with the usual protocol.” Ruff assumed the conning of the ship as “Acting Navigator.” The Nevada started to raise enough steam to move the ship out of harm’s way at 8:32 a.m. This was just in time as an ocean of burning oil from the Arizona was slowly moving toward the Nevada’s bow, threatening to engulf her in flames.

The Japanese 2nd attack wave of airplanes arrived  at 8:45 a.m. The Nevada continued to move out of the harbor, which rose the spirits of the American sailors fighting fires on many ships. Cheers could be heard as sailors saw the Nevada  making a wake. However, the Japanese also noticed. From 9:40 to 9:50 a.m., the Japanese air attack focused on the Nevada with five 250kg bombs making direct  hits on the ship and 10‐ 15 bombs missing the ship. This resulted in 11 fires burning  out of control  on the Nevada. At this point, Ruff helped steer this battleship out of the main shipping channel and beached the boat at Hospital Point.

The actions of Ruff’s and his crew resulted in the Japanese 2nd wave focusing on the Nevada rather than the American fuel supplies. Historians believe it would have cost the Americans at least a year if the Japanese had managed to destroy this fuel supply.

In addition, Ruff’s action to clear Nevada of the shipping lane allowed the Americans to make rapid use of the port to rebuild the Pacific fleet.

Ruff served in both the Second World War and the Korean War. He retired as a Rear Admiral and received the Bronze, Silver and Gold Star for his courage.  His second career was as an educator in Long Beach, California.  He made many family trips back to Schuylerville to visit his extended family (nine brothers and sisters).  It is not rare in some circles to still hear Ruff family stories about Uncle Larry. He was a source of inspiration for the family to provide public services, including his niece, June Launder, who was a remarkable WAVE nurse in the Pacific during the war. Lawrence Ruff died on October 20, 1978 at the age of 73.

Note: Lawrence Ruff was played by long-time actor Ron Masak in the 1970 film Tora! Tora! Tora!

Sean Kelleher is the Vice President of the Saratoga County History Center and Historian for the town of Saratoga. He posts a daily blog to historianatsaratoga.wordpress.com. Sean may be contacted by email at historiantosaratoga@gmail.com

Eighty years ago, on December 7, 1941, the Japanese forces launched a devastating surprise attack on Pearl Harbor, and a local man played a big role in defending against that attack. Furthermore, his actions have been credited with shortening  the war in the Pacific.

That Sunday morning, hundreds of Japanese fighter planes descended  on the naval base there and managed to destroy or damage nearly 20 American naval vessels, including eight battleships,  and over 300 airplanes.  More than 2,400 Americans  died in the attack, including civilians, and another 1,000 people were wounded. The day after the assault, President Franklin D. Roosevelt asked Congress to declare war on Japan and formally enter World War.

Lawrence Ruff was born on 7 July 1905 in Troy, NY and grew up on Green Street in the village of Schuylerville. His father was a merchant of seed and flour on Spring Street. Ruff had a typical childhood; he was the bugler for the local Boy Scout troop and excelled academically in high school. He entered the US Navy in 1923. His intelligence was noted, and he was sent to the U. S. Naval Academy at Annapolis, Maryland. Ruff’s early career (10+ years) in the Navy had various ship-based assignments.

On that fateful Sunday morning in December, Lieutenant Ruff was assigned as the battleship USS Nevada’s communications officer. He was planning to attend church services on the hospital ship, USS Solace. Ruff and Father Drinnan took a small launch boat on a peaceful journey across the Pearl Harbor passing by all six Pacific fleet battleships. They arrived shortly before 7 a.m. Ruff was waiting for the church service on the hospital ship, when at 7:55 a.m., they heard the first bombs.

The Japanese made a completely surprise attack on the American fleet at Pearl Harbor. Ruff witnessed the battleship USS Arizona erupt  in flames and smoke. He rushed back to the small launch boat and took a harrowing journey across the same Harbor including being strafed by a Japanese aircraft. At 8:10 a.m., the battleship USS Oklahoma rolls over, entombing 460 sailors.

When Ruff boarded the Nevada, around 8:25 a.m., he discovered  that most of the Nevada’s senior officers were absent and that those present would have to assume duties for which they had not been trained. Ruff made his way to his station in the Nevada’s conning. Lt. Commander Thomas was the most senior officer  present. However, Thomas was several decks below at his duty station.

As soon as they were able to communicate, they quickly agreed that Thomas should remain in charge of the ship below decks while  Ruff took care of topside duties  as Officer of the Deck. Ruff was ordered to “do his best to get them out of the harbor as quickly as possible, dispensing with the usual protocol.” Ruff assumed the conning of the ship as “Acting Navigator.” The Nevada started to raise enough steam to move the ship out of harm’s way at 8:32 a.m. This was just in time as an ocean of burning oil from the Arizona was slowly moving toward the Nevada’s bow, threatening to engulf her in flames.

The Japanese 2nd attack wave of airplanes arrived  at 8:45 a.m. The Nevada continued to move out of the harbor, which rose the spirits of the American sailors fighting fires on many ships. Cheers could be heard as sailors saw the Nevada  making a wake. However, the Japanese also noticed. From 9:40 to 9:50 a.m., the Japanese air attack focused on the Nevada with five 250kg bombs making direct  hits on the ship and 10‐ 15 bombs missing the ship. This resulted in 11 fires burning  out of control  on the Nevada. At this point, Ruff helped steer this battleship out of the main shipping channel and beached the boat at Hospital Point.

The actions of Ruff’s and his crew resulted in the Japanese 2nd wave focusing on the Nevada rather than the American fuel supplies. Historians believe it would have cost the Americans at least a year if the Japanese had managed to destroy this fuel supply.

In addition, Ruff’s action to clear Nevada of the shipping lane allowed the Americans to make rapid use of the port to rebuild the Pacific fleet.

Ruff served in both the Second World War and the Korean War. He retired as a Rear Admiral and received the Bronze, Silver and Gold Star for his courage.  His second career was as an educator in Long Beach, California.  He made many family trips back to Schuylerville to visit his extended family (nine brothers and sisters).  It is not rare in some circles to still hear Ruff family stories about Uncle Larry. He was a source of inspiration for the family to provide public services, including his niece, June Launder, who was a remarkable WAVE nurse in the Pacific during the war. Lawrence Ruff died on October 20, 1978 at the age of 73.

Note: Lawrence Ruff was played by long-time actor Ron Masak in the 1970 film Tora! Tora! Tora!

Sean Kelleher is the Vice President of the Saratoga County History Center and Historian for the town of Saratoga. He posts a daily blog to historianatsaratoga.wordpress.com. Sean may be contacted by email at historiantosaratoga@gmail.com

The 20th President of the United States, James Garfield, was born in a log cabin in Ohio and was mule driver on the Ohio & Erie Canal. A graduate of Williams College, he later became an attorney and a skilled orator, and was elected to Congress in 1862. He then served as a Major General during the Civil War. In the 1880 election Garfield conducted a Front Porch Campaign and narrowly defeated another Civil War General and Gettysburg hero, Winfield Scott Hancock.

Charles Julius Guiteau was an American writer and attorney. Guiteau felt, falsely so, that his actions had contributed to Garfield’s successful campaign and sought a consulship position to either Vienna or Paris. Failing in his pursuit of this honor he decided to shoot Garfield, which he did, wounding him, on July 2, 1881. Garfield succumbed to the wound on September 19, 1881.

John K. Porter was a Waterford, New York attorney. Born in Waterford on January 12, 1819, he was educated in both the Waterford and Lansingburgh Academies, later graduating from Union College in 1837. Upon his death, the Albany Law Journal stated; In our opinion, Mr. Porter comes nearer to being a genius than any other man in our bar.

How did destiny bring together this former Ohio canaller, a crazed and disgruntled office seeker, and a near-genius Waterford native and lawyer?

John’s father, Dr. Elijah Porter, wanted John to follow in his footsteps. John was not interested in becoming a doctor but made a deal with his father that he would study medicine for six months. If he did not show a talent for it, his father would permit him to study law. At the end of that period John’s father said; “Son I don’t know what kind of lawyer you will make, but you’ll make a mighty poor physician, so I will let you study law.”

In 1846 John Porter, at the age of 27, was among those chosen to represent Saratoga County at the New York State Constitutional Convention. John became a leading lawyer in Waterford with a remarkable intellect, who was able to practice, in nearly every branch of the law. His skills soon made it possible for him to play on a larger stage.

In early 1865, Porter was appointed to the New York Court of Appeals to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Henry R. Selden. In November 1865, he was elected on the Republican ticket to the remaining six years of Selden’s term, but resigned on December 31, 1867, and returned to private practice, now in New York City.

His record as an attorney would have made Dr. Porter proud. Son John successfully defended Horace Greeley, editor of the New York Tribune, in a libel case brought by the Assembly Speaker DeWitt C. Littlejohn. In 1875, he represented Henry Ward Beecher in his case against Theodore Tilton, who, in one of the most scandalous cases of the post-civil war era, accused Beecher of adultery with Tilton’s wife. The jury could not reach a verdict. In February 1876, Porter defended Grant’s military secretary Orville E. Babcock, who had been indicted during the prosecution of the Whiskey Ring frauds. Babcock was acquitted.

In 1876, two weeks after voters went to the polls to choose between Rutherford B. Hayes and Samuel J. Tilden, the New York State Bar Association was founded, and Porter became the Association’s first president. He challenged the new organization to “exercise a collective and permanent influence” on the great issues of the day.

At this point in our story, late 1881, President Garfield was in Lake View Cemetery in Ohio, Guiteau is in a Washington D.C. jail awaiting trial, and the Honorable John K. Porter was retired, back home in Waterford.

The National Park Service reported the following on the trial of Charles J. Guiteau; At trial, the assassin Guiteau stated that “I did not kill the President. The doctors did that. I merely shot him.” The trial lasted nearly two months and often had a circus-like atmosphere. The U. S. Attorney General, Wayne MacVeagh, put together a 19th-century dream team to prosecute Guiteau, among them John Porter of Waterford.

Porter was not a specialist, he was a laborious, keen, strongly-equipped man in nearly every branch of the law. He was a formidable cross-examiner and a trustworthy counselor. Arthur and MacVeagh deemed him necessary to the team. On cross-examination, prosecutor Porter tried to suggest to jurors that what the defense claimed was evidence of insanity was instead only evidence of sin. He forced Guiteau to concede that he thought the assassination would increase sales of his autobiography. He demanded to know whether Guiteau was familiar with the Biblical commandment, “Thou shalt not kill.” Guiteau responded that in this case “the divine authority overcame the written law.” He insisted, “I am a man of destiny as much as the Savior, or Paul, or Martin Luther.”

Judge Porter’s cross-examination of Guiteau was so effective in defeating Guiteau’s insanity defense that Francis L. Wellman gave it a chapter in his classic work The Art of Cross-Examination. In its December 2, 1881, headline, the New York Times characterized the cross-examination as “Guiteau’s Day of Torture.”

As a result of the trial, the prosecution team won a conviction after Guiteau went through a series of defense attorneys, most arguing an insanity defense. Guiteau was found guilty in January 1882 and met the hangman on June 30, 1882. By that time John Porter had returned to his retirement in Waterford. According to The New York Times obituary, Porter’s “devotion to this case wore out his energy, and after its conclusion, he almost wholly gave up the practice of law.” Porter died on April 11, 1892, in Waterford.

Russ Vandervoort is the Waterford Town Historian and leader of the Waterford Canal and Towpath Society and can be reached at russvandervoort@gmail.com.